1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of rotary balers, particularly that type of rotary baler capable of producing large, so-called "round" cylindrical bales normally weighing 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. More particularly, the invention relates to a simulated bale size and shape indicator for the baler which produces a graphic simulation of the size and shape of the bale being formed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a typical rotary baler is driven along a crop windrow and crop material is continuously picked up and loaded into the baling chamber of the machine, a situation frequently arises in which the baling chamber is not loaded uniformly from one axial end thereof to the opposite end thereof. This is due largely because of the relatively narrow width of the windows compared to the overall length of the baling chamber, and unless the operator skillfully weaves his away along the windrow, the center of the baling chamber will necessarily become more heavily loaded than its opposite ends. This results in a bale which may be highly dense and fat in the middle but less dense and of smaller diameter at its opposite ends.
To aid the operator in avoiding the production of misshapen bales, various devices have been provided to provide information to the operator of the condition of the bale being formed in the baler. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,867 which is hereby incorporated by reference discloses a pair of belt-tension sensors provided in association with the tensioning belts of the baler that correspond to the ends of the bale being formed. When the tension of either of the belts decreases relative to the other as a result of insufficient crop material at that particular end of the bale, the appropriate sensor closes a switch which in turn energizes an electrical circuit to actuate a signal device such as a light. Two such signal devices are employed, one for each end of the bale, and depending upon which device is actuated, the operator may take corrective measures for that particular end of the bale as indicated by activation of the corresponding light.
The prior art also discloses a system similar to that as disclosed in the '867 patent except that analog gauges are provided in place of the signal lights. Misalignment of the pointers of the respective gauges indicates a corresponding misshapen condition of the bale being formed in the baler.
These prior art devices present two problems. First, they do not provide information to the baler operator concerning the center of the bale being formed so that a bale could emerge having a relatively small diameter in the middle of the bale as compared to the ends. Secondly, the prior art devices do not inform the operator of the size of the bale being formed but only of the relative diameter of one bale end as compared to the other. Thus, the operator does not know if sufficient baling chamber space is remaining in which to make sufficient correction to a misshapen bale.